These casual phrases are scarring children for life – and most adults have no idea
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Hafiz, one of the most celebrated and well-known lyric poets of all time, once said, 'The words you speak become the house you live in.'
You've probably seen this saying before but it's worth sharing again since it's a powerful reminder that our words are more than just words—they have power and real impact, not just on us, but on the people around us as well.
One thing about our words is that they are influential, and through them, we can 'seed our ideas' into someone else's mind.
If you think about it, the idea that somebody can implant values and beliefs in another person's head is incredible. With such tremendous power, though, comes great responsibility.
This is especially true for the younger members of our family, such as our grandchildren.
The things we say to children can stay with them for a long time. Credit: Klaus Vedfelt/Taxi/Getty Images.
According to Gwen Kostal, a dietitian who hails from Ontario and heads the health education group Dietitians4Teachers, there are some words and phrases that we, as adults, should never say to children.
She cautioned adults against making comments like 'Look how big you are' or 'You grew so much', even if they are meant to be innocent and harmless.
Casual comments like these can have a huge negative impact on children's perception of their own bodies, and these are likely to stick with the children for a long time.
According to a recent Instagram post by Ms Kostal, we can instead try saying 'Nice to see you' and 'I'm so delighted you're here' to children, averting the topic from their self-esteem and body image.
'Don't forget that some of our "small talk" around kids is well-meaning but can cause harm,' she went on to say. 'Try and avoid body comments. Even "positive" ones. Definitely avoid comparing siblings' bodies.'
In the comments section, many parents said how much they liked Ms Kostal's advice. A few of them shared their own experiences, with one mum saying she has always hated it when people call her daughter 'big' for her age.
'That was so unnecessary,' Ms Kostal replied to the comment.
'Love this!' said a second mum. 'This can also be helpful for parents to not make body comments either!'
Gwen previously posted on Instagram, reminding both parents and teachers that bringing up children's bodies in conversations is inappropriate since it can make them feel 'awkward' and self-conscious.
'Parents: Talk to your kids. Remind them they can ask people to not talk about their bodies or they can just ignore these comments,' she wrote in her post.
'Teachers, school parents… I get it! Easy small talk. Sure. It's true, but it's also the LEAST interesting thing about a kid,' she went on to say.
Most of what children think in their early years comes from what we teach them as adults. Our words have the power to shape the values and beliefs of the next generation, thus it's up to us to decide which ones to 'impart' to them.
So, members, for those of you who are blessed enough to have regular conversations with your younger grandchildren, remember that what you say will likely stick with them for a long time, so tell them only wonderful things!
What are your thoughts, folks? Do you agree with Ms Kostal? Let us know in the comments!
You've probably seen this saying before but it's worth sharing again since it's a powerful reminder that our words are more than just words—they have power and real impact, not just on us, but on the people around us as well.
One thing about our words is that they are influential, and through them, we can 'seed our ideas' into someone else's mind.
If you think about it, the idea that somebody can implant values and beliefs in another person's head is incredible. With such tremendous power, though, comes great responsibility.
This is especially true for the younger members of our family, such as our grandchildren.
The things we say to children can stay with them for a long time. Credit: Klaus Vedfelt/Taxi/Getty Images.
According to Gwen Kostal, a dietitian who hails from Ontario and heads the health education group Dietitians4Teachers, there are some words and phrases that we, as adults, should never say to children.
She cautioned adults against making comments like 'Look how big you are' or 'You grew so much', even if they are meant to be innocent and harmless.
Casual comments like these can have a huge negative impact on children's perception of their own bodies, and these are likely to stick with the children for a long time.
According to a recent Instagram post by Ms Kostal, we can instead try saying 'Nice to see you' and 'I'm so delighted you're here' to children, averting the topic from their self-esteem and body image.
'Don't forget that some of our "small talk" around kids is well-meaning but can cause harm,' she went on to say. 'Try and avoid body comments. Even "positive" ones. Definitely avoid comparing siblings' bodies.'
In the comments section, many parents said how much they liked Ms Kostal's advice. A few of them shared their own experiences, with one mum saying she has always hated it when people call her daughter 'big' for her age.
'That was so unnecessary,' Ms Kostal replied to the comment.
'Love this!' said a second mum. 'This can also be helpful for parents to not make body comments either!'
Gwen previously posted on Instagram, reminding both parents and teachers that bringing up children's bodies in conversations is inappropriate since it can make them feel 'awkward' and self-conscious.
'Parents: Talk to your kids. Remind them they can ask people to not talk about their bodies or they can just ignore these comments,' she wrote in her post.
'Teachers, school parents… I get it! Easy small talk. Sure. It's true, but it's also the LEAST interesting thing about a kid,' she went on to say.
Most of what children think in their early years comes from what we teach them as adults. Our words have the power to shape the values and beliefs of the next generation, thus it's up to us to decide which ones to 'impart' to them.
So, members, for those of you who are blessed enough to have regular conversations with your younger grandchildren, remember that what you say will likely stick with them for a long time, so tell them only wonderful things!
What are your thoughts, folks? Do you agree with Ms Kostal? Let us know in the comments!
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